


If your heart wears thin I will hold you up

by KittyKarnstein96



Category: Runaways (TV 2017)
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Chase is soft and concerned, Cuddling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, the other characters are mentioned but not a focus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-03-03 06:15:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13335195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyKarnstein96/pseuds/KittyKarnstein96
Summary: Gert's an emotional wreck after a traumatic nightmare and Chase just wants to hold her and tell her everything will be okay.





	If your heart wears thin I will hold you up

**Author's Note:**

> This was a drabble but it evolved into something longer and I just need all the squad to reassure Gert, especially because we know she doesn't have her meds and she's on edge. Give me the Gert x Chase content we deserve, I need all of the hurt/comfort and for these two idiots to talk about their feelings.
> 
> Props to @bobbywatson on tumblr and Ezra for beta'ing this fic, you guys are stars!
> 
> Side note: there is not enough Marvel's Runaways fanfiction and that's just not okay, so have a one-shot! Hope you like it, let me know :P

 

Somehow Chase found himself sharing a bed with Gert. He isn’t quite sure how it happened - the mess of being framed for murder and running for an insanely long amount of time does that to a person.

 

They’d eventually found solace in an abandoned hotel, which thankfully had various beaten and tattered makeshift mattresses and old couches. Molly had fallen face first onto a two-seater couch and had begun snoring softly. Nico had grabbed Karolina and soon they were asleep and wrapped up in each other. Gert had spent some time in the corner petting Old Lace; Chase had wanted to join, but after seeing the red tint in Gert’s eyes he figured the two could use some time alone to adjust.

 

This had left Chase with Alex, who was fully alert but not all that coherent as he stared at nothing before he too collapsed on a rickety sofa bed. When Chase had looked up again Gert was making her way to the only available bed; which _of course_ had to be a king size. Gert had looked at him with a sorrowful smile which didn’t quite reach her eyes.

 

“You can take the bed.” He’d offered with a smile that he’d hoped was reassuring.

 

Gert’s response of calling him an idiot hadn’t been entirely comforting. He was hit by a wave of relief when she’d followed her remark by making a point of how big the bed was and that they could share it. He’d stopped her before she got to the nervous rambling and the two had slipped into bed, curling as far away from the other as they could without falling off the edge.

 

A whispered _“good night”_ was the last thing Chase heard before he fell asleep.

 

…

 

Chase was startled awake by the sound of distressed shouting. His eyes flew open, immediately locking onto the source of the sound, his breath catching as he helplessly watched Gert thrash around. Chase felt his chest tighten, a flurry of emotions racing through his mind. Frozen, he feels frozen – as though he’s locked in place unable to move.

 

He can’t make out what Gert is saying but the sound spurs him into action, his hands hovering near her, unsure whether he should try to wake her as her screams got louder.

 

“NO, STOP!”

 

“Gert.” He tries, only for another desperate cry to drown him out.

 

“Get away from her!”

 

Chase’s arms move on instinct, the sound of her pain firing him into protection mode. He shifts closer, his hand ever so lightly reaching for Gert’s arm. Gert jerks violently, her whole-body trembling as she let out a broken sob. Concern rushing over him, his hand grasps her shoulder as he tries to gently shake her awake. Her cries getting almost impossibly louder, Chase never knew someone could sound so distressed.

 

“Molly. No Molly, NOOOOO!”

 

Before Chase can react, Gert jolts awake, her hands clutching at the base of her thighs as she gasps. Tears stream down her face, her hands trembling too much for her to wipe them away. Her breathing only quickens, her eyes searching frantically through the darkness. He finds his voice bringing her attention back to the present, red rimmed eyes staring at him with such desperation.

 

“Molly’s okay. She’s safe. We’re safe.” His voice is soft but firm, gently repeating the words until her breathing regains some composure.

 

It’s not enough for him to feel relieved, he moves his hand up and down in slow soothing circles against her shoulder blade. Chase can feel Gert shaking, can hear how she chokes on a breath, trying and failing to get her emotions under control. His free hand finds hers, gently turning her wrist so his fingers can brush against her veins. He traces constellations against her skin, the ones he remembers from back in 8th grade.

 

Gert is still breathing a little too quickly, so Chase continues to trace patterns against her veins, pausing every few seconds to tap a steady beat. Her eyes remain slightly glossy but they’re locked on him, watching as he breathes in and out, nodding for her to do the same. Her eyes flit to where his fingers trace patterns and for a second her lips twitch, her breathing, though ragged, starts to slow. Chase lets out a sigh of relief, squeezing Gert’s shoulder with an encouraging smile.

 

He counts 5 minutes in his head, 5 minutes of him breathing in and out reassuring her with soft smiles and lingering patterns. Gert’s fingers fist against his t-shirt, her breathing finally managing to even out with Chase’s gentle touch soothing her.

 

“Ch-ch-chase.” Gert breathes out.

 

“I’m here.” He confirms, opening his arms but making no move to pull her closer. He wants her to make the decision, he wants her to feel comfortable.

 

Gert looks surprised at the gesture, hesitating for a moment before she shifts, closing the distance and wrapping her arm around his waist as she lets her head rest against his chest. Chase wraps an arm around her, pulling her closer still, whilst the other finds its way into her hair. Her eyes flutter shut as his fingers comb through her tangled tresses, smoothing out the knots and letting his thumb rub against her temples before resuming his previous motions.

 

Chase smiles as Gert nestles into his chest, her hand clutching his waist as she breathes him in. He can see the others stirring and he knows there’ll be questions, but right now all he wants is for Gert to feel safe and comforted in his arms.

 

“I’m sorry.” Her voice is barely audible but he hears her, he always hears her.

 

“Don’t apologise, not to me, okay?” His voice is softer, he needs her to hear him, to understand that she is okay, that he doesn’t blame her.

 

Gert nods against his chest, falling silent once more. Chase hates it, hates the silence and how he can’t think of the right words to break it. He wants to tell her so much, of how he wishes he could rid her of the pain she feels, how he wants to be the one to hold her always. Or how he doesn’t want one night, how he could never ignore her. There’s so much he needs to say, so much she needs to understand about how he truly feels, but how? How can he say it without breaking down?

 

“He killed her- in my dream. He- he killed her Chase. She was dead and I couldn’t...” Gert cuts herself off, pulling back so she can look at him properly. “He hurt her, he hurt Molly and he hurt us and I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t stop it. We could have died.”

 

The tremble has returned to Gert’s voice and, though he wishes it wasn’t like this, Chase is glad that Gert is opening up to him.

 

His hands move to cup her face, thumbs brushing against her cheeks to catch the tears that have begun to fall again.

 

"I know," God did he know. "But we _didn't_ , and we've got everyone, we're going to figure this out. I promise."

 

Gert gives a shaky nod and leans in, her forehead pressing against his as she breathes in, their lips just shy of touching. They stay like that for a while, letting the softest of touches calm one another. Chase shifts, pressing a feather-light kiss to the side of Gert’s forehead. When he pulls back Gert’s eyelids are drooping, the hint of a smile remaining on her lips.

 

“Maybe we should try and sleep.” He suggests, expecting her to bark out a snappy response. Instead she nods, moving to a more comfortable position to lay beside him.

 

Chase smiles as Gert shifts so she’s pressed against him, lying on her side. He tests the waters, loosely draping an arm around her waist. He’s pleasantly surprised when Gert moves her hand closer to his and interlocks their fingers.

 

“Chase.” Gert whispers.

 

“Yeah?” He hums softly.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Anytime.” Chase whispers back, squeezing her hand.

 

His eyes close, relaxing as he feels Gert start to drift off, letting himself fall into a peaceful sleep. Despite their less than ideal situation, in that moment he can’t bring himself to care when he has Gert in his arms. The rest can wait.


End file.
